02598nas a2200373   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260007000043653001400113653000900127653001300136653001700149100001200166700001700178700001500195700001100210700001500221700001300236700001400249700001300263700001900276700001400295700001500309700001700324700001400341700001200355700001400367700001300381245007000394300001200464490000800476520172600484022001402210       2014                            d  c09/2014bSchlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KGaHannover10aS. aureus10aMRSA10azoonosis10aMedVet-Staph1 aR Köck1 aB Ballhausen1 aM Bischoff1 aC Cuny1 aT Eckmanns1 aA Fetsch1 aD Harmsen1 aT Goerge1 aB Oberheitmann1 aS Schwarz1 aT Selhorst1 aB-A Tenhagen1 aB Walther1 aW Witte1 aW Ziebuhr1 aK Becker00aThe impact of zoonotic MRSA colonization and infection in Germany  a384-3980 v1273 aMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes colonization and infection both in animals and humans. In Germany, cases of MRSA colonization among humans, w+hich affect 0.5–1.5% of the general population and 1.0–2.5% of patients at hospital admission, are still mostly associated with previous healthcare contact and defined epidemic clonal lineages. However, MRSA is also distributed in livestock production in Germany, mostly without causing infections in the animals. These MRSA predominantly belong to the clonal complex (CC) 398, but also to CC9 and CC97. Zoonotic transmission of MRSA CC398 from livestock to humans occurs predominantly in people with occupational livestock contact. Spread of MRSA CC398 to household members of these persons is also frequently observed, but dissemination in the general population is limited so far. However, especially in areas with intensive livestock husbandry, about 20–38% of MRSA CC398 cases among humans cannot be epidemiologically linked to direct livestock contact, indicating other transmission pathways. MRSA CC398 currently causes about 2% of all human MRSA infections (wound infections, pneumonia, sepsis) in Germany, but up to 10% in regions characterized by a high density of livestock-farming. The burden of MRSA in companion animals was demonstrated to range between 3.6–9.4% within wound samples obtained from dogs, cats and horses, respectively. In contrast to livestock and horses, MRSA distributed in  pet animals are mostly associated with MRSA clonal lineages that are also prevalent in human healthcare facilities. Overall, zoonotic exchange of MRSA between humans and animals has relevant impact on the epidemiology of MRSA in  Germany.  a0005-9366